Defense Department: The Bible, Constitution And Declaration Of Independence All Perpetuate Sexism

According to a Defense Department-approved “sexism course,” the Bible, the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence all contribute to modern sexism.

Those three cherished texts all count as “historical influences that allow sexism to continue,” according to a presentation prepared by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, whose mission is to give a ”world-class human relations education.”

According to the course, the Bible has “quotes” which can be interpreted as sexist by readers.

The Declaration of Independence is also an historical cause of sexism, as the document refers only to ”all men” — not “men and women.”

And the Constitution, the Pentagon argues, is an historical source of sexism because “slaves and women were not included until later in history.”

Of course, members of the Armed Forces take an oath to defend the Constitution — which is, according to the DEOMI course, an “historical influence that allows sexism to continue.”

“The content of the lesson is provided to generate academic discussion concerning how these historical documents have been included in discussions about the topic of sexism,” Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Defense Department spokesman, told The Daily Caller.

But following TheDC’s request for comment, the sexism course — as well as two other courses listed on DEOMI’s website, entitled “Prejudice & Discrimination” and “Racism” — were taken offline.

“This course is currently offline and under revision,” a notice says under all three courses.

Asked about the sudden update, Christensen replied, “DEOMI online materials are periodically pulled to review to ensure accuracy and relevance. The racism, sexism and Prejudice & Discrimination are currently undergoing that review process.”

TheDC obtained copies of all three courses prior to their removal.

The “Prejudice & Discrimination” course was recently required for some Navy personnel who work in hospitals and clinics.

In the course, discrimination is divided into two categories: institutional and individual. Institutions can be a source of discrimination, as well as actions — or inaction — made by individuals.

Institutional discrimination, according to the DEOMI course, can be found in employment, education, housing and the military.

Examples of institutional discrimination in employment, according to DEOMI, are education requirements for employment:

The course teaches, “Individuals who have been segregated to inferior schools cannot find employment in businesses that hire according to specified credentials that inferior schools do not offer.”

Therefore, when employers institute education qualifications for prospective employees, they are engaging in a form of discrimination.

The DEOMI states more examples of institutional discrimination can be found in education:

Textbooks also perpetuate discrimination since they “provide little or no information on minority groups, especially minority histories and the contributions that minorities have made to American culture.”

DEOMI teaches students that they can also contribute to discrimination on an individual level.

The presentation asserts individuals can perpetrate discrimination through both active and inactive ways, including “refusing to acknowledge one’s own privilege.”

Active contributions to discrimination include verbal and physical assault, as well as “considering prejudices and discrimination to be a thing of a past.”

Inactive discrimination, according to DEOMI, includes failing to acknowledge personal “privilege.”

In the glossary provided by the course, “privilege” is defined as “a special advantage, immunity, permission, right, or benefit granted to or enjoyed by an individual, class, or caste.”

By an individual refusing to believe that he is inherently better off than another person as a result of his race or gender, DEOMI teaches that the individual is engaging in an act of discrimination.

At the same time, it is also viewed as inactive discrimination if an individual believes “you have experienced and fully understand the oppression of the target group.”

In addition to the presentation on “Prejudice & Discrimination,” DEOMI offers a broader course on the topic of “Racism.”

In the “Racism” presentation, individuals are cautioned against using “antilocution” — or using phrases that could have a racial connotation.

The graphic which accompanies the slide lists an array of naughty words, including “white men can’t jump” and “Jew.”

According to the presentation, the Defense Department also bans the word ”Redskin” — pitting the Pentagon against its hometown NFL team.

Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen said information in the DEOMI courses accurately reflects Department of Defense policy: “The Department of Defense Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity [ODMEO] in collaboration with the Military services review DEOMI’s education and training materials designed for Equal Opportunity Advisors [EOAs] to ensure that DoD policy is accurately reflected. DEOMI staff develops, in coordination with the ODMEO and the Military Services, standardized training templates to ensure only approved training materials are used during local training sessions.”

“While there is no DoD Policy that requires persons to take these online courses,” Christensen told TheDC, since 2011, 2,075 Department of Defense personnel took the “Sexism” course, 3,448 took the “Prejudice & Discrimination” course, and 3,028 took the “Racism” course.